1. Susanna Moorehead, Chair of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC), is on a visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK) on August 25-27, 2019.

2. DAC Chair Moorehead met with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Tae-ho and delivered a keynote speech at the seminar organized by the Korea Association of International Development and Cooperation (KAIDEC) on the morning of Monday, August 26. On the afternoon of the same day, she met with President of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Lee Mi-kyung and presented views on the assessment by the international community and the ways forward for the development of the ROK’s international development cooperation.

3. In the meeting between Vice Minister Lee Tae-ho and DAC Chair Moorehead held on the morning of the same day, the two sides exchanged views on ways to step up cooperation between the ROK and DAC.

○ Vice Minister Lee noted that the ROK’s official development assistance (ODA) has been both quantitatively and qualitatively improved since the ROK started its membership in 2010. In particular, Vice Minister Lee mentioned that ahead of the 10^th anniversary of the ROK’s accession to the DAC in 2020, the ROK government is planning to hold various events from later months of 2019; asked her to revisit the ROK at an appropriate time either of this year or of next year; and called for the DAC’s continued attention to and support for the ROK’s activities in the area of international development cooperation. 

○ DAC Chair Moorehead mentioned that the ROK is expanding its roles in the international community as an exemplary donor. She added that in particular, the roles of and contributions made by middle-sized donors like the ROK are much more in need amid the rapidly-changing international development cooperation environment.

4. On the morning of the same day, DAC Chair Moorehead also delivered a keynote speech on the outcomes and challenges of the ROK’s ODA implemented over the last decade at the “Exploring New Approaches of ODA Policy: Reflecting on a Decade of OECD DAC Membership” seminar, co-hosted by the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and KAIDEC.

○ DAC Chair Moorehead extended appreciation to the ROK for actively contributing to the DAC’s activities, including serving as Vice-Chair of the OECD’s DAC from this June, and asked for the ROK’s active contribution in major areas of international development cooperation such as expanding development resources and promoting gender equality.